The present disclosure relates to a combined storage tube and modular barrel/launch tube for a missile launcher. Barrel-interchangeable projectile weapon systems are known in the art, see, for example, commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/955,363 filed Jun. 2, 2016 (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2016/0153744, published Jun. 2, 2016), which employs one or more modular barrel assemblies and one or more modular trigger assemblies which can be attached to a common chassis. The aforementioned publication no. US2016/0153744 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure contemplates a modular barrel assembly which additionally functions as a storage tube for an ammunition round to be fired. The device has covers removably attached to each end of a tubular housing. The device also has a safety mechanism in which the rear cover is locked into place until the front cover is removed. This prevents the barrel assembly from being attached to a weapon in an in-battery condition before the front cover is removed from the exit end of the barrel tube.